Clarifier



N. B. BACH April 12, 1949.

CLARIFIER Filed March 27, 1944 ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 12, 1949 CLARIFIER Niels B. Bach, New York, N. Y., assignor to The Mirriees Watson Company Limited, Glasgow, Scotland, a British company Application March 27, 1944, Serial No. 528,241

2 Claims. (Cl. 210-55) This invention relates to the clarification by sedimentation of liquids containing suspended solids, and has for its object the provision of certain improvements in the method of and apparatus for such clarification. More particularly, the invention contemplates certain improvements in the introduction of the liquid to be clarified into the body of liquid undergoing clarification, as a result of which clarification is facilitated and expedited.

Liquids containing finely divided suspended solids are commonly clarified by sedimentation in the course of which supernatant clarified liquid is withdrawn from the top and settled solids are withdrawn from the bottom of the body of liquid undergoing clarification. The operation is carried out in settling tanks or clarifiers, usually cylindrical, operated continuously or intermittently. It has heretofore been the general practice to introduce or feed the liquid to be clarified near the center of the tank and somewhat below the liquid level in the tank. I have discovered that a pronounced improvement in clarification is brought about by introducing the liquid to be clarified at a plurality of points approximate the periphery of the tank and over a substantial depth of the body of liquid undergoing clarification.

Based on the foregoing discovery, my present invention involves, in its broad aspect, introducing the liquid to be clarified into the body of liquid undergoing clarification by sedimentation at a multiplicity of peripherally or circumferentially spaced positions and in the form of a vertical series of fine streams extending as a whole over a substantial depth of the body of liquid. Such introduction of the liquid feed is readily efiected by providing a multiplicity of depending and appropriately orificed feed or inlet pipes approximate the periphery of the receptacle in which the liquid is confined, such as a settling tank, clarifier, or the like. The pipes depend downwardly through a substantial depth of the receptacle, preferably through the greater part of the depth of the body of liquid undergoing sedimentation'. The pipes communicate at their up-- per ends with the supply of liquid feed, such as a circumferential launder, are closed at their lower ends, and have discharge orifices throughout the greater part of their length directed generally toward the periphery of the receptacle. The discharge orifices may take the form of uniformly spaced small holes or perforations or one or more narrow slots. Preferably, a multiplicity of uniformly spaced inlet pipes is provided around the entire periphery of the receptacle.

The foregoing and other novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which j Fig. l is a sectional elevation of a tray clarifierequipped with the invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the clarifier of Fig. i,

Fig. 3 is a detail plan of one arrangement of the feed pipes of the invention, and I Fig. 4 is an elevation of a feed pipe with a slotted orifice.

While the principleof the invention may be advantageously applied to any type of continuous or intermittent settling tank or clarifier, its application to the continuous clarifier in common use in the sugar industry is especially advantageous; and hence the invention is herein more particularly described in connection with that type of clarifier. That clarifier comprises generally. a cylindrical tank 5 with a conical base 6, a series of appropriately supported superposed and vertically spaced trays or settling surfaces 1, a central rotatable shaft 8 to which are secured radial arms 9 carrying plows (scrapers or chains) ll immediately above the trays 1 for working solids settling on the trays towards the peripheral edge of the trays and into the annular vertical channel formed between the peripheral edges of the trays and the surrounding tank 5. Similar plows, scrapers or chains ll, carried by radial arms l2 secured to the shaft 8, prevent any accumulation of settled solids on the inclined surface of the base i. The shaft 8 is suitably supported from the top of the tank and its lower end extends into a guide bearing l3 mounted in the solids discharge outlet ii of the base 6. The shaft is appropriately driven by any suitable source of power, such as an electric motor, not shown. In a tray clarifier. suitably clarified liquid is withdrawn from the tank at levels immediately below eachtray 1, and also somewhat above the top tray, by pipes l5. For the sake of simplicity, these pipes are shown in the drawing as communicating with a common vertical discharge pipe is having near its upper end a valved lateral outlet ll, but, as is well understood in the art, various arrangements may be used for appropriately controlling the withdrawal of clarified liquid from the pipes ii. In the clarifier illustrated in the drawing, each pipe i5 has a control valve ii for regulating and controlling the supernatant liquid withdrawn through each pipe.

In accordance with the invention, a series of uniformly spaced inlet or feed pipes II are circumferentially arranged approximate the periphery of the tank 5. While these pipes may be supported in any suitable manner, they may advantageously be hung from and secured in corresponding holes in a circumferential feed launder is at the upper end of the tank 5. The pipes ll depend through substantially the length or depth of the cylindrical wall of the tank 5, and are closed at their lower ends by plugs 2|. Each pipe I. has a vertically superposed series of uni- 3 iormlyandcloselyspaceddlschargeorificesll so arranged that the fine streams of fiuid discharged through-the orifices are directed horizontally toward the adjacent'wall of the tank. The laun- (let I. is supplied with the liquidtobeclarified through a valved supply pipe 2!. To prevent limits, the greater the number of pipes ll there are, the more eifective is the result. A considerable part of the suspended-solids are thus eliminated andstarted settling directly toward the conical base 0. and to this extent the amount of solidstobesettledinthecustomarymanneron the trays I is reduced. This facilltates' and expedites the sedimentation on the trays, and increases the capacity of the clarifier.

In the clarification of sugar juices, it is cust'omary to carry out the operation at a relatively the tank I. which permit the supply feed to discharge into the annular space between the launder and a boot :4 depending a short distance within the tank.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, the orifices II are shown as round holes positioned directly opposite the adjacent wall of the tank I, so that the discharged streams of liquid impinge perpendicularly againstthewall. Inrig.3ofthedrawing.the orifices II are shown so disposed that the discharged streams of liquid impinge .obliquely against the wall. and in so doing induce a slow circumferential movement of the-liquid approximate the wall. In Fig. '4 of the drawing, the dis: charge orifice II is in the form of a narrow vertical slot extending through the greaterpart of the length of the pipe. The single long slot may,

high liquid temperature; frequently close to the boiling temperature. Nothwithstanding the fact thatthetankwallisusually externallycovered with insulating material to maintain the desired high temperature of the liquid in the clarifier. the wall of the tank willbe considerably cooler than-the main'body of liquid in the tank. Hence if desired, be replaced by two or more shorter slots. If necessary to insure a uniform discharge of the supply feed over the entire length or depth of the discharge orifices (whether holes or slots),

the orifices may be appropriately graduated in sire from the top to the bottom.

' -The following specific example of the invenpipes uniformly spaced about the periphery of the tank with their longitudinal axes. about .5 inches from the adjacent wall of the tank.

In" practicing the invention in the apparatus illustrated in the drawing, the valved supply pipe 22, valved pipe II for withdrawing clarified liquid, and the solids or sludge discharge from .the outlet II are adjusted and correlated, as is well understood in the art, to effect the contemplated continuous sedimentation and clarification throughout the depth of the tank. The supply feed is introduced into the tank through the discharge orifiees of the depending pipes it over a substantial depth of the tank. The discharge orifices direct the supply feed in relatively fine streams against the adjacent wall of the tank, and small particles of suspended solids, otherwise dimcult to eliminate by sedimentation, upon striking the tank wall fiocculate into sumcienfly large fiocs to immediately begin settling in the annular vertical channel between the peripherial edges of the trays and the surrounding tank wall.

Such 'fioc formation and rapid settling goes on throughout the annular channel, wherever the of the supply feed impinge against the tank wall-.110. that,.w1 h n i ractl .7 lower ends andhavingdischarge orifices througha the liquid in touch with or close to the tank wall will have a tendency. all around the periphery of the tank, to flow downwardly towards the conical base, thereby promoting rapid settling of suspended matter just entering the tank and forming flees in the vicinity of the tank wall as hereinbefore explained. Moreover, the cooler wall of the tank lowers the temperature of solids impinging thereagainst and this further aids fioc formation.

Flocculation and clarification of the supply feed entering the tank may be further promoted by arranging the discharge orifices of the depending pipes II to direct the streams of entering fluid angularly, rather than; perpendicularly, toward the tank wall and thereby-inducing a slow circular or circumferential movement of the liquid in the tank, particularly in the vicinity of the tank wall. Irrespective of its precise character, the discharge of the supply feed in a multiplicity of small stream against the tank -wall and-over a substantial depth of the tank sets up liquid currents of a generally swirling character all around the tank wall and over a large part of its depth. This action brings the particles of suspended solids into contact with one another under conditions favorable to fioc formation, and in this manner a considerable part of the suspended solids in the supply-feed is immediately fiocculated and removed from the liquid before it enters the usual settling or sedimentation zone of the'clarifier. I

Depending upon the nature of the suspended solids, therewill be more or less tendency for the discharge orifices of the-depending feed pipes It to clog and thereby reduce the volume of feed supplied to the clarifier. Clogging of the discharge hriilces can be readily reduced to a minimum by periodically cleaning the inside of the pipes It "with a wirebrush or the like. In Fig. 1 of the drawing, such a brush 25 is shown in the left hand pipe I. All or any part of the pipes It may be permanently provided with such brushes and the operator will, from time to time, manipulate the brushes back and forth and thus keep the discharge orifices open.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for clarifying liquids containing suspended solids comprising a receptacle having an outlet near its top for supernatant liquid and an outlet near its bottom for settled solids; a multiplicity of uniformly spacedinlet pipes positioned within the receptacleapproximate the periphery of said receptacle and depending downwardly through a substantial depth of "the-receptacle, said pipes being closed at their out substantially their length directed generally outwardly toward the periphery of said receptacle, a circumferential launder communicating with the upper end of each of said pipem, and means for supplying liquid to be clarified to said launder.

2. An apparatus for clarifying liquids containing suspended solids comprising a receptacle having an outlet near its top for supernatant liquid and an outlet near its bottom for settled solids, a multiplicity of uniformly spaced inlet pipes positioned approximate the periphery of said receptacle and depending downwardly through a substantial depth of the receptacle, said pipes having discharge orifices throughout substanstantially their length directed generally toward the periphery of said receptacle, a circumferential launder communicating with the upper end of each of said pipes, said launder having openings communicating with the interior of said receptacl at a level intermediate the top of the receptacle and the upper ends of said pipes, and means for supplying liquid to be clarified to said launder.

' NIELS BiBACI-I.

REFERENCES crrnb The following references are of record in the tile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,135,997 Dorr Apr. 20, 1915 1,327,944 Cosler Jan.- 13, 1920 10 1,336,553 Darrow Apr. 13, 1920 1,595,066 Booth Aug. 10, 1926 1,709,971 Coe Apr. 23, 1929 1,741,187 Fuqua Dec. 31, 1929 1,869,797 Cleaver Aug. 2, 1932, 15 2,141,371 Bach Dec. 27, 1938 2,153,607 Bach Apr. 11, 1939 2,195,739 Rolston Apr. 2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 20 Number Country Date 16,743 Great Britain Dec. 20,1884 199,795 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1938 

